A Day in the Life of a Red Wizard

Fiction about Ravenloft or Gothic Earth
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Kaitou Kage
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A Day in the Life of a Red Wizard

Post by Kaitou Kage »

This is a small scene I wrote based on NeoTiamat's excellent Eye of Anubis game. Basler is actually a former PC of mine who became an NPC in EoA. This scene takes place some time well after Book Three of that game.

I have done a couple of sketches and drawings of Basler and Nizam. I will include them later since they include PG-13-level nakedness.

This is prolly just a one-shot thing so if anyone happens to have any comments, feel free to post 'em here.


"And now, restate the Theory of Energy Transmutation." The speaker, Basler, was a tall, slim, hairless man dressed in a brilliant crimson zarong. He was bare-chested, but an elaborate weave of tattoos snaked across his entire body. Most of the tattoos resembled swooping birds of prey, the most prominent being a diving owl on the small of his back with wings stretched up to his shoulder blades. Another raptor design climbed over his skull and framed his face to make his already piercing gaze more penetrating. The design seamlessly mixed arcane symbols of power and energy with the feathers, beaks, and talons and created a stunning tapestry of body art. He wore a padded leather harness over one shoulder to provide a place for his owl familiar to perch. The owl stared intensely at the other human in the room.

The person he commanded was Nizam, a young man barely past boyhood. In his late teens, Nizam had bright, inquisitive eyes and an intent, studious look as he received his lessons from his teacher. Like Basler, Nizam wore only a zarong, though the student's was deep blue. Until he officially became a Red Wizard, wearing red was forbidden. Also like his teacher, tattoos adorned Nizam's body. Unlike Basler, however, Nizam's tattoos were less elaborate. They cascaded from his head down his shoulders and onto the upper reaches of his chest and back. As he grew older and advanced in study, he would receive more tattoos, but for now, the young man wore what tattoos he had with pride.

"The Theory of Energy Transmutation states that energy can be created to force a change in the properties of an object or material," Nizam replied promptly, "It's an extension of the basic principle of the Transmutation school, that the spell's subject must already exist."

The two sat in Basler's study. Bookshelves lined the walls. Most actually had history and geography texts, while others had accounts and notes. The ones closest to Basler's desk actually held the spellbooks and magical devices, implements, and components. The collection of spellbooks, albeit impressive for an "average" wizard, was still only a small percentage of the whole library. Basler was a very wealthy man, but buying magic was a costly endeavor and there were only so many books out there to begin with. A large number of the spellbooks contained the Red Wizard's own scribbles, notes, and diagrams. However, a blackboard stood in front of several bookshelves as an invisible servant wrote with chalk at Basler's mental direction.

"Very good," Basler said. At his shoulder, his owl ruffled its feathers and settled down again. The sharp-eyed raptor's gaze turned down toward the giant catlike beast curled up at Nizam's side. Masal, the young man's krenshar, pretended to be asleep, but one eye watched the owl mischievously. "How does energy transmutation differ from evocation magic?"

"Because evocation magic essentially creates energy from nothing," Nizam answered, "An evocation spell can create a fire without need for fuel or a lightning bolt without need for a storm. A transmutation spell needs something to affect. Wood for the fire, for example. The basic principle of the school of evocation is the direct manipulation of energy and unseen forces to produce an effect."

"Correct," Basler said. The owl glared at Masal. Masal, of course, was really awake and quickly closed her open eye. The owl seemed unfettered by the ruse. "Please look at the board."

An unseen servant finished its chalk-writing on cue. A large magic circle dominated the board, full of intricate symbols and designs. Nizam scrutinized the ring.

"Today we've studied practical theories of transmutation magic," Basler continued, "We have especially focused on transmutation as it relates to energy manipuation, as well as the differences between that and evocation principles. Before we adjourn the lesson for today, I would like you to read and decipher the spell on the board, then cast it."

Nizam looked at Basler, nodded, and then looked back at the board, swallowing hard. From his first cursory glance, he could already tell this spell was more complex than other spells he knew. But the trick was finding the starting point. The young man had a knack for magic and picked up on spell-reading easily. He was also bright and eager to learn, which made both his late teacher Cevdet and his current teacher Basler quite proud of their student. Basler was much less inwardly-focused than Cevdet, however, and seemed to notice Nizam's accomplishments much more readily. Though the praises didn't flow free, Basler frequently offered constructive, if curt, criticism and support.

Aha, there it is. The starting point. Nizam fixed his eye on that rune and marked it in his memory. Basler was a clever teacher who believed in efficiency above all else. He had a knack for knowing when the right time to push a person that extra step. Basler was confident it was time to move forward and he watched the student as intently as the owl watched the krenshar. Nizam hated these moments sometimes. The way Basler's looked so much like his familiar's was eerie, especially when the young mage knew those dark eyes fixated on him. Cevdet never used to do that. Though Basler assured him that it wasn't meant to pressure him, Nizam never felt completely relaxed under that sharp gaze.

Masal, however, seemed to enjoy being the subject of piercing avian stares. Basler had singed her nose enough that she knew attacking the owl was strictly off limits. But that didn't stop her from taunting the bird. She rolled onto her back and attempted to look as cute as a giant cat-beast could and slowly slid her tail on the ground. The owl's eyes flicked to the tip of her tail and began watching it intently. She seemed to grin as she taunted the bird. The owl puffed out his feathers and shifted from foot to foot several times on Basler's shoulder. He fluttered his wings a bit, but didn't move from his perch.

The krenshar abruptly flipped back onto her stomach at the sudden outbreak of human voices speaking in that tone. She knew what that tone of voice meant. Her feet pressed into the ground and her head lifted up sharply, eyes wide and alert. When humans spoke like that, fire came out of their paws and mouths. That tone was the one the owl's human made when he burned her nose. And now Master was using that tone, not the owl-man. She looked up at Nizam frantically, worried that he was mad, but he seemed to be looking at the bird. Masal stole a glance at the owl. The bird sat comfortably on Basler's shoulder, completely unfettered and looked back at her. Masal glared at it.

Sweat beaded on Nizam's face as he strained to channel the arcane forces that he channeled through Basler's inscription. His hands moved through the gestures, but the magic proved difficult to grasp and harness. But he kept at it and forced the energy through. He felt a tingling in his throat, and then something building up through his lungs, wanting to erupt from his mouth. Horrified, the young mage opened his mouth to let the magic spill forth. A great gout of lightning burst out of his throat, straight for Basler. Nizam's eyes widened further in horror, terrified that he was about to blast his teacher.

The storm cleared and Nizam looked up quickly, gaze filled with worry. Masal had retreated for the dubious safety of the land behind the chairs, away from the scary magic. Basler sat just as he had been before Nizam completed the spell, hands clasped together, elbows resting on the arms of his chair, intense gaze still focused on Nizam. When the wall of force flickered and vanished, Nizam let out a relieved breath. At least Basler was alive, though Nizam was sure a reprimand was coming. When Basler simply smiled, the young mage was caught a bit off guard.

"Very, very good," Basler said, standing. "I had wondered if you were ready for that spell yet. I am glad to see you perform it so well."

Nizam heaved another relieved breath. "Thank you, sir." Masal slowly crept out from behind her chair. She looked up at the owl just long enough to give it an irritated glare before she padded up next to Nizam.

Basler walked around the desk and placed a hand on Nizam's back to guide the young mage out. "Come with me," the older wizard said, "I think you have earned a new tattoo."

Nizam's broad grin showed his joy.
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